My Mute Bride

It was extremely late into the night by the time Justin returned to the hotel.

Inside the bedroom was Rachel and she was already fast asleep.

As a cold wind entered the sheets, she was jolted awake. However, before she could even turn around, he was already wrapping his hands around her shoulders and leisurely pulling her into his embrace from behind.

The faint smell of tobacco and his citrus-scented shampoo had mingled together to tickle her nostrils. It wasn’t until she was certain he would not make any further move that she gradually relaxed.

When he felt the stiffness and the wariness of the woman in his arms, Justin was unable to fall asleep.

It took an interminable length of time for her breathing to calm down enough for him to close his eyes.

The hour was late and it happened to be the season when fall changed to winter.

A car was speeding down a road in Riverdale and just as it passed a controlled intersection, a truck suddenly dashed out from the vehicle’s right.

The car driver immediately slammed their brakes before the sound of the car screeching to a halt echoed around the intersection.

Alas, it slammed into the bottom of the truck with a loud crash followed by nothing but thick smoke billowing out.

When Justin woke the next day, his arms were empty. All of a sudden, his heart sank.

Then, he heard the sound of clinking items outside.

Upon opening the door, he found Rachel setting the table.

When she heard movement behind her, she turned around and looked at him in surprise.

After all, he hadn’t even worn his shoes and he was standing on the carpet barefoot.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

As she returned to her senses, Rachel lifted the jug of fruit juice in her hand. I had the hotel send up breakfast.

An astonished Justin stared at her.

After his shower, he sat down at the table. She handed him a glass of milk before she minded her own business while eating her own breakfast, seemingly having forgotten the unhappy events of the previous day.

Upon taking two sips, he set down his glass. “When I’m done with my work, I’ll send you back to Riverdale and bring Nancy over to live with you.”

quickly shook her head. There’s no need, she signaled. Grandma’s

contact Riverdale’s best nursing

to

“Not convenient?”

Amber likely doesn’t want to see me

slightly, he

impression that something about her had changed yet he

the past, she wouldn’t have willingly brought the topic of Amber, let alone accompanied the mention with such

felt a little elated. “You needn’t be wary of her. She wouldn’t dare to harm you. We’re only engaged-nothing concrete has been settled. Since you know I’m investigating the overseas account, just wait patiently for me to finish my work. Understood?” he carelessly said all of this,

her lips, Rachel nodded, but her heart felt as cold

wondered whether it was how he evaluated her in front of Amber as well-a pawn

when Frankie suddenly knocked on the

“What happened?”

crash last night where she died on the

rose from the dinner table to

of sliced fruit, Rachel stood outside the study to listen

perpendicular to the road that Madam Lilian was traveling on. Madam Lilian’s

“When did this happen?”

in the

left the house at one in

headed to the

total silence before it was followed with, “Was Jason sending her abroad to lie low

“It seems likely.”

hand that was holding onto the fruit

loggerheads all along, which was exacerbated by the incident involving Tina. While Jason wasn’t much of a businessman, he extremely loved his

Justin would be the prime suspect-even if, based on what she was currently hearing, the incident was

out, the door

warning, Justin appeared in the doorway and stared coldly

holding up the fruit platter for him to

the caution in his eyes ebbed, he told her, “There’s no need. I have some business to

obediently

left together

left, she put down the fruit platter and sat on the couch while she clutched at

“I’m sorry, Jason.”

arrive and comfort Jason at the